SkyTran to Build Futuristic Maglev 'Hover Monorail' in Israel

SkyTran Inc. and Israel Aerospace Industries just signed an agreement to build a high-speed, levitating, energy-efficient transportation system at the Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI) campus in Lod, Israel. The futuristic “hover-monorail” is a network of computer-controlled, 2-person vehicles that fly through the sky using maglev technology.

The skyTran Technology Demonstration System (TDS) will accept orders for cars via smartphone, pick passengers up at a station, and then transport them to their destination at high speeds. The system designed for Lod will run at about 45 mph, but future trains are expected to run much faster. The “jet-like” vehicles employ state-of-the-art passive magnetic levitation technology, which could revolutionize urban and suburban public transportation.

The TDS will incorporate IAI’s advanced capabilities in the fields of engineering and robotics, and it will provide a platform for skyTran vehicles to travel at high speeds while levitating. The first commercial skyTran system will be deployed in Tel Aviv, Israel.